Grand final location

[Juggs Magnetic]

You can move some home games to the G if you want more games there, you can't really have any say in away games.
We only get to play Subi maybe once a year and yet have to front up for finals there at a huge disadvantage.

The difference is that finals played at subiaco are there because either the eagles or dockers have earned the home ground advantage. So yes there is a disadvantage to you, that's the point.
The Grand Final is a different kettle of fish as the Victorian side hasn't necessarily earned a home ground advantage.

 

[hawker513]

Who cares. As long as the stadium is packed with 50k+ it doesn't make a difference watching on TV

Yeah I agree, full house at Adelaide oval is a perfect example.. but I can't ever see the afl agreeing to loose 30,000 in ticket sales just to keep interstate fans happy

 

[dazbroncos]

And what about the leagues all around the world who don't host it in the biggest stadium every single year? Because they understand it's not fair for both the teams and fans alike

With all due respect, the AFL could give a * about the leagues around the rest of the world.

Im not arguing with you to pick a fight or anything - its just the AFL are $$ driven pricks and the GF is a massive cash cow for them and the game.

The fairness of it IMO left when the VFL became the AFL ( nothing to with it as a national game) but the expansion took it form a sport to a business and that is where the dollars became more important than the game.

And its been that way ever since.

If the AFL could make the same money on the day at multiple venues around the country then I could see it moving. till then, its just not gonna happen for that reason alone.

I have my Vic bias of course, but that is not part of this. The AFL are not in it for the fairness or the fans.

Go Catters

 

[Peter Bosustow]

I'm from Melbourne and, although history indicates it is no real disadvantage on the scoreboard, I concur with the sentiments of supporters of WA/SA/NSW/QLD sides when they are up against a VIC based team in a GF. Unfortunately there are commercial realities that are corollary to our game. Given that the majority of patrons are neutral, corporate Gillons, the MCG will continue to host the Grand Final until another state has a stadium with 70,000+ capacity,

1. When Perth's 70,000 seat stadium opens, I see no reason why an Eagles vs Dockers GF shouldn't be held there. Even if one of those teams were to make the GF, I see no problem in hosting it there. This is a national competition, after all (or so we are told)... Hay Street Mall would be rocking!
2. Stadium Australia has a similar capacity. But for anyone that has actually watched a match of Australian Rules at that abortion of a stadium, you'd know it is no place to hold a potential Swans vs Giants GF.
3. See #1 for Adelaide Oval and replace Hay with Rundle. Could you imagine that spectacle?

From the 'unmatched experience that the MCG provides' perspective, did anyone go to the '91 GF at Waverley or hear from someone that went? How did it stack up against a regulation GF at the MCG? And even the GFs from 2003-2006 when the reconstruction of the Ponsford/MCC/Olympic Stand left gaping holes in the stadium?

 

[seanoff]

Tbh, if wc play freo in the gf in melb more of their supporters will get to see the game than if it was held at subi.

And people are going on like the nfl shares the superbowl around. My arse.

They heavily prefer to hold it in the south and west. 10 in miami, 7 in LA (the nfl are salivating at having stadium/s in LA again), 10 New Orleans, 4 in Tampa, etc etc.

There has been 1 superbowl in NY. The head office of the NFL is in NY. 2 in Detroit, 1 in Indy, 1 in Minnesota. And all of those were met with massive trepidation.

Left to its own devices and with available stadia, the superbowl the NFL would rotate between LA, Miami and NO.

 

[ManWithNoName]

Is the superbowl not the biggest NFL game? How about the CL Final? How about the AFL not be so selfish and give fans from other cities a chance

When was the last time the Super Bowl was held in a stadium with less than 65k capacity?

1967. Your argument is invalid.

 

[Crawb]

For next time they do the MCG deal; keep it at the MCG with the exception of a West Coast/Fremantle, Port Adelaide/Adelaide, Sydney/GWS games (maybe Brisbane/Gold Coast depending on stadium size in 2035 or whenever the next deal is).

 

[Underarm]

Every major tournament I could be bothered finding either had a set place every year (AFL,NRL,England/France/Italy/Germany soccer tournaments) or pick a large pre-exisiting place a year out. The only one that didnt was the Spanish cup which is meant to be held at a Neutral venue (though usually in madrid) a month after the Semi Finals.

If you want a solution that involves taking the GF outside of Melbourne, then chosing a year out is the only way that would happen, OR a rotation of Melbourne, then Adelaide, then Melbourne, then Perth;then Melbourne; then brisbane; then melbourne; then Sydney; then Melbourne; to keep it balanced.

There is so much riding on the the contract the AFL has with the MCG, and the assurance they have means they can be selling corporate boxes for the Grand Final now, along with Medallion club memberships (which come with a gf seat), AFL memberships and allows the MCC to sell MCC memberships with that same guarantee. They also start the process of Member sales during PF week to help cope.

 

[blue harvest]

For next time they do the MCG deal; keep it at the MCG with the exception of a West Coast/Fremantle, Port Adelaide/Adelaide, Sydney/GWS games (maybe Brisbane/Gold Coast depending on stadium size in 2035 or whenever the next deal is).

So we organise the GF with 1 weeks notice?

 

[sonnywalters]

This is not having a go at the MCG or saying there is an advantage for VIC teams or the like.

I just wanted to know thoughts on interstate grand-finals when both teams contesting finals are from the same city.

This wasn't an issue when the MCG grand final deal was signed but not there is a real possibility of WCE v Freo, or in the futute GC v Lions, Syd v GWs and Crows v Port.

For me the Grand final its the best day of footy you can go to, and the more fans of the teams playing who can attend the event make the day better. (note: i dont really think a comment of "real fans will travel" adds to this discussion, I have been to two GF, but for example I dont consider myself a better supporter than a 65 year old retiree who has difficulty travelling! and could otherwise attend!)

Does anyone think this/or an alternative will be considered?

I think IF there is a GF with two (interstate) sides from the same city the GF should be moved.

Now of course this could NOT currently happen in Perth or Brisbane due to the poor state of their stadiums. So at this stage only Adelaide and Sydney could be considered in that event. Perth could be considered after 2018 when their new stadium is built.

Now of course this (two interstate sides from the same city) has never actually happened and the odds of it happening are only once every 153 years so I wouldn't worry too much about it. But a rule for this would be fair and good for the game imo. For instance a 2.30pm kick-off in Perth would be great for AEST bbqs and TV ratings.

 

[FreeAgent1]

I think tradition whilst great, shouldn't supercede progress.

In years to come say 2020, if each capital city has a stadium with capcity over 60,000 I think the GF should be rotating exactly the same as the NFL.

Sure its a pipedream- but other than a team in Darwin, Canberra and Hobart, a step to making the AFL a fully national comp.

 

[Crawb]

So we organise the GF with 1 weeks notice?

Those venues already organise finals matches on short notice do they not? I mean there's not much that's different really apart from some extra broadcast stuff, confetti, a s**t pre-game singer and flying Craig Willis in really.

 

[Boxhead_31]

Are you suggesting this truly novel and innovative idea has been had before?

Maybe just once or twice before

 

[W.C. Fry]

So reduce the crown by 30k as well as break tradition?

I don't see any logic in that.

My heart would break seeing the 30k MCC members miss out on a GF once or twice in their lives.
Add in the AVFL members area which again have the same people going to the game year in year out.

Yeah, couldn't care less if they missed a couple of grand finals.

 

[telsor]

Maybe just once or twice before

Each week...

 

[blue harvest]

Those venues already organise finals matches on short notice do they not? I mean there's not much that's different really apart from some extra broadcast stuff, confetti, a s**t pre-game singer and flying Craig Willis in really.

Yes the game itself is doable but it's all the other stuff, functions, packages, members, sponsors etc. A lot of tickets are pre sold, you can't just tell people the week before that you now have to book some flights and sit in a crap seat.

 

[Lensen]

There's no way you can wait til the prelims are finished to work out where the GF is played, with a whole 7 days notice.

Well, you can, if fairness is the primary driver of your competition. An entire grand final was organized in a week in 2010.

But obviously with $$$ being the AFL primary motivation they'll say it can't be done because you can't sell 60-70000 $1000+ corporate packages in a week

 

[Heisenberg_]

My heart would break seeing the 30k MCC members miss out on a GF once or twice in their lives.
Add in the AVFL members area which again have the same people going to the game year in year out.

Yeah, couldn't care less if they missed a couple of grand finals.

You realise if played anywhere but the mcg access to tickets for the average supporters would be even more restricted?

 

[W.C. Fry]

You realise if played anywhere but the mcg access to tickets for the average supporters would be even more restricted?

Not really.

You realise AFL membership is useless outside of Victoria, noone has it.
So knock out all MCC and AFL members, they currently take half seats at the MCG and you are left with plenty of seats for the normal fan.

 

[joy division]

Don't see superbowl or champions league being played in the same stadium year after year. Yes there needs to be a minimum capacity to host it there but that capacity should be 60-70k.

Superbowl is moved around because they have so many 90K+ seater quality stadiums and there is no "traditional" ground for it. The Uefa Champions League is held in a different country every year because it is the European Cup...held between many European countries... The national cup for England, Italy and Germany (only countries I'm sure of) are always held in the same stadium.

The Grand Final wouldn't be the spectacle that it is if it weren't at the MCG. It should be an honour to play there not a complaint.

 

[tek87]

the highest qualifying team should host the gf regardless if this was an proper competition. but save your breath as its rigged for a long time. dont give a s**t about tradition either. bottom line is contract/money. sell outs. plus the mcg surface is substandard

 

[seanoff]

the highest qualifying team should host the gf regardless if this was an proper competition. but save your breath as its rigged for a long time. dont give a s**t about tradition either. bottom line is contract/money. sell outs. plus the mcg surface is substandard

What fairyland do you live in?

No major single game event can be put on in one week. None. The NFL know the superbowl host stadium 4 yrs in advance.

UEFA know the 2020 venue already. wembley.

This isnt by accident. There are all sorts of things that need to happen. None of it possible in a week. Some of it not really probable inside a yr.

 

[Astro_]

For next time they do the MCG deal; keep it at the MCG with the exception of a West Coast/Fremantle, Port Adelaide/Adelaide, Sydney/GWS games (maybe Brisbane/Gold Coast depending on stadium size in 2035 or whenever the next deal is).

So the Perth, Adelaide, Sydney stadiums have 1 week to set up? Grand finalist are only determined in the prelim.

Not practical

 

[kaiserchief13]

When was the last time the Super Bowl was held in a stadium with less than 65k capacity?

1967. Your argument is invalid.

If you read my previous posts you'd see I said must be at least 60-70k stadium

 

[ManWithNoName]

If you read my previous posts you'd see I said must be at least 60-70k stadium

If Perth or Adelaide have a ~70k stadium I'd have no issue with it being moved around from time to time. But it'd need to be announced at the start of the year. There's no other way.

I refuse to even contemplate the mere possibility of a Grand Final at Stadium Australia.